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August was a HUGE month. This month I turned 38, had quite a lot of enjoyable occasions in Prague, after which went to Iceland for 13 days with my pal Amanda of A Dangerous Business.
But these 13 days — did we EVER make them rely. In blogger type, we moved quick, did SO a lot, and photographed all of it — 20+ waterfalls, eight scorching springs and swimming swimming pools, two Hobbit House-type stays, plus whale watching, horseback driving, a wild RIB boat journey, and one epic volcano hike.
Yep, this journey would run most individuals into the bottom (and at one level we joked how a lot our companions would have hated the tempo of the journey). But we received materials for SO many weblog posts. I can’t wait to start out writing.
Add in some good occasions in Prague and it made for one actually wonderful month!
Destinations Visited
Prague, Czech Republic
Kopavagur, Grindavik, Mosfellsbaer, Grundarfjordur, Olafsvik, Snaefellsjokull National Park, Arnastapi, Helena, Budir, Bjarnarhofn, Stykkisholmur, Reykholt, Bifrost, Vididalstunga, Vatsnes, Undirfell, Blonduos, Varmahlid, Vindheimamdar, Saudarkrokur, Hofsos, Siglufjordur, Akureyri, Husavik, Fosholl, Myvatn, Reykjalid, Dettifoss, Vidhidalur, Egilsstadir, Seydisfjordur, Stodvarfjordur, Berufjordur, Djupivogur, Stokksnesvegur, Hofn, Jokulsarlon, Oraefi, Nordausturvegur, Skaftafell, Kirkjubaejarklaustur, Vik, Heimaey, Skogar, Storidalur, Selfoss, and Klausterholar, Iceland
Highlights
Turning 38 with pals in Prague. We celebrated with a yard barbecue and completed the night consuming my pal’s fabulous tiramisu straight out of the pan, in pitch darkness, after midnight.
Finding our wedding ceremony venues! After trying out quite a lot of locations and feeling lower than enthused, lastly Charlie and I discovered two nice spots for the ceremony and reception of our May wedding ceremony!
SO MUCH IN ICELAND. Iceland was such a implausible journey, and we did method an excessive amount of to summarize right here. So I’ll record a number of of the highest highlights.
Hiking to Fagradalsfjall Volcano was an all-time journey. This volcano started erupting on August 3, and we determined to hike it on our first full day in Iceland, August 13. We joined the lots climbing a newly created path earlier than hopping although lava fields. The hike was about two hours every method, longer and extra uphill on the best way there.
And then the volcano. NOTHING prepares you for seeing wild lava like this up shut. Not even Stromboli. We had been laughing with delight! We then sat all the way down to get pleasure from a protein bar picnic and watch the lava for about an hour earlier than heading again.
The volcano has since stopped spewing, however preserve paying consideration — the Reykjanes peninsula may very probably have related eruptions sooner or later. If one other one erupts and it’s secure to go to, GO. You is not going to remorse it.
Múlagljúfur Canyon grew to become my favourite place in Iceland. This gorgeous canyon is a bit offbeat and exhausting to achieve, however SO definitely worth the effort. Imagine a craggy canyon crammed with mist and coated with moss, skinny waterfalls bursting out of the rock. I can’t do it justice, however belief me, this place is magical.
Visiting SO many scorching springs in Iceland to search out the perfect. There are so many nice ones. Overall, my private favourite was the Vök Baths in Egilsstadir, East Iceland, with beautiful geometric baths perched on a lake you’ll be able to truly leap into mid-spa.
Beyond that, Hvammsvik, a model new pure spa constructed on the sting of a stunning fjord 45 minutes outdoors Iceland was my second-place spot, with GeoSea in Husavík and the Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik rounding out my prime 4.
The Westman Islands had been a delight. We added this archipelago off the South Coast a bit on a whim, and had been handled to a completely gorgeous place crammed with volcanic surroundings, unforgettable historical past, puffins, black sand seashores, surprisingly good eating places, and a swimming pool with a trampoline waterslide (critically).
The Snaefellsness Peninsula was one other delight. This peninsula in West Iceland is called “Iceland in miniature” as a result of it has all the things — volcanoes, waterfalls, glaciers, and many others. — and it’s all shut collectively. In retrospect I used to be shocked how few guests there have been in comparison with different elements of Iceland.
Húsavík was hilarious in all the appropriate methods. Yes, the city from the Eurovision film is an actual place! Here we went whale watching and horseback driving (success on each counts!) and visited a bar named, you guessed it, Jaja Ding Dong, which additionally holds a Eurovision museum with props from the film!
The Eastfjords are spectacular. Easily the perfect driving was alongside the gorgeous Eastfjords, plus the city of Seydisfjordur was so pretty!
Challenges
I took a very exhausting fall in Prague. While strolling in Žižkov, my toes caught on a round piece of packing ribbon and I topped ahead on the cement, touchdown proper under my left knee. It damage for weeks.
I truly LEFT MY PURSE BEHIND at a restaurant. Cannot bear in mind the final time I did that! And in fact I seen after being on the tram for 5 minutes…it was fantastic, although!
A nail polish catastrophe. I received my nails completed in London in July, however after I went to get them redone in Prague the day earlier than Iceland, the technicians advised me they may not take away the polish — the London manicure hadn’t been completed correctly and so they couldn’t take away it safely.
I freaked out — would I be caught with terrible half-grown-out blue glitter nails for Very Important Events developing?
Well, a number of days in the past I used to be again in the identical London neighborhood, so I went again to the salon and advised them to take away it, which they did with ease. Phew. Last time I am going there.
Getting an ear an infection, like a toddler. I’ve been swimming a number of occasions this month, and I assume that interprets into getting ear infections once more. Got to expertise Czech pressing care, which is mainly going to the hospital, however the non-emergency space (it’s free, however very robust in the event you don’t converse Czech).
Getting fogged out at Dettifoss. Amanda and I had been so excited to see Dettifoss waterfall, essentially the most highly effective waterfall in Europe, in addition to two extra close by waterfalls, Selfoss and Hafragillsfoss. We even determined to take a gravel street to the extra distant jap facet of the falls.
We drove 45 minutes alongside that gravel street…and it was so foggy we couldn’t see A THING. We walked round a bit, however there was no level. Oh effectively.
Rain, rain, rain, and dirt at Studlagil Canyon. Studlagil Canyon in East Iceland is a not too long ago found and really uncommon vacation spot — a canyon of basalt columns, crammed with shiny teal water. It was about an hour’s hike every method (there may be additionally a platform you’ll be able to drive to on the west facet if you wish to see it however not hike it).
Unfortunately it started raining exhausting about midway by means of, and I had worn rain gear however not my rain boots. Once we received to the canyon, it was SOLID MUD. I soaked in mud as much as the tops of my sneakers, getting my toes moist. Amanda made it all the way down to the canyon’s edge; I couldn’t make it by means of the mud. And it was nonetheless POURING.
We hiked again in miffed silence, then the rain stopped about midway by means of as soon as once more. (Oh, did I point out we each REALLY needed to pee this entire time? That added to the enjoyable!)
Studlagil Canyon was REALLY cool and we’re so glad that we went — however it wasn’t very enjoyable within the second!
A scary second in Tröllaskagi. Iceland is filled with one-way tunnels and bridges. When we had been on the Tröllaskagi Peninsula, a stunning however at-times treacherous drive, we entered a one-way tunnel the place our facet had the appropriate of method.
Wouldn’t you recognize that THREE automobiles had been concurrently coming by means of the opposite method and wouldn’t pull over into the pull-outs! (We had no pull-outs as a result of WE had the appropriate of method!) Amanda was driving, and we determined to again up by means of the entire tunnel, which she did amazingly. I’m nonetheless mad at these folks, although.
Blog Posts of the Month
Turning 38 and Two Exciting New Developments — My annual birthday publish, all about our engagement and my new foray into New Hampshire Way!
The 16 Towns of Cape Cod — Which One is Best for You? — The Cape is far greater than you suppose, and each city has its personal persona. Here’s find out how to discover the appropriate one for you.
21 Best Museums in Boston (for each sort of temper!) — A information to the perfect museums in my house metropolis.
This Month on Patreon
On the Adventurous Kate Patreon, I publish unique content material and never-told tales you could entry for $6 per 30 days. We even have a personal Facebook group and members get free entry to the Book Club every month.
This month’s large month-to-month publish is about determining the place to go on our honeymoon! Charlie and I need to go in December 2023 (December is a sluggish work month for us each) and go to a brand new nation with fabulous surroundings, splurging out on good lodging.
I narrowed down a number of the locations we’re contemplating, and the professionals and cons — and everyone joined in with extra superior concepts!
For September on Patreon, I’m planning out extra content material across the Iceland journey — like the best possible locations we visited and suggestions for visiting them.
Book Club This Month
Our subsequent Book Club can be on Sunday, October 2, at 1:00 PM Eastern Time! We can be studying Of Women and Salt, a novel by Cuban- and Mexican-American creator Gabriela Garcia.
“Five generations of girls, linked by blood and circumstance, by the secrets and techniques they share, and by a single e book handed down by means of a household, with an affirmation scrawled in its margins: We are drive. We are greater than we predict we’re.
1866, Cuba: Maria Isabel is the one girl employed at a cigar manufacturing facility, the place every day the employees discover energy in each day readings of Victor Hugo. But these are harmful political occasions, and as Maria begins to see marriage and motherhood as her solely choices, the sounds of conflict are approaching.
1959, Cuba: Dolores watches her husband make for the mountains in reply to Fidel Castro’s name to arms. What Dolores is aware of, although, is that to outlive, she should win her personal conflict, and commit an act of violence that threatens to destroy her daughter Carmen’s world.
2016, Miami: Carmen, nonetheless wrestling with the trauma of displacement, is shocked when her daughter Jeanette broadcasts her plans to journey to Cuba to see her grandmother Dolores. In the partitions of her crumbling house lies a secret, one that may hyperlink Jeanette to her previous, and to this fearless line of girls.
From nineteenth-century cigar factories to present-day detention centres, from Cuba to the United States to Mexico, Gabriela Garcia’s Of Women and Salt follows Latina ladies of fierce delight, sure by the tales handed between them. It is a haunting meditation on the alternatives of moms and the tenacity of girls who select to inform their fact regardless of those that want to silence them.”
You can join right here. Patreon members get entry within the non-public Patreon group.
New Hampshire Way Update
This month, I hit a serious milestone on my New Hampshire website, New Hampshire Way — I hit the site visitors numbers the place I can apply to Mediavine, the show promoting firm I take advantage of for Adventurous Kate. This is main as a result of whereas I earn some cash by means of lodge bookings, it’s not sufficient but. Display advertisements will make the location financially sustainable!
I instantly utilized to Mediavine that day. Unfortunately, as quickly as I utilized, the “Thanks for applying!” message learn, “By the way, if you use Google Analytics 4, our system can’t read it. You’ll need to get Universal Analytics and 30 new days of data.”
Google has mechanically been assigning GA4 to new websites. New Hampshire Way is on GA4. All websites can be on GA4 by mid-2023. Shouldn’t they know find out how to learn it by now? But for now, I’ve so as to add new code and wait till September 19 to use once more.
That means I miss an extra 30 days of earnings throughout the busiest time of yr for New Hampshire journey. I used to be relying on that large fall foliage cash. GRAH!
Here are some newly printed posts from New Hampshire Way that I’m enthusiastic about:
23 Fantastic Things to Do in New Hampshire within the Fall — New Hampshire is THE fall vacation spot! Here are some superior concepts for issues to do.
21 Cool Things to Do in Keene, NH — I visited Keene for the primary time final yr and actually fell in love with the town and the encircling Monadnock area. It’s a enjoyable offbeat place price visiting!
Most Popular Photo on Instagram
Hello, Seydisfjordur! This small city in East Iceland is known for its rainbow road and artsy neighborhood.
For extra reside updates from my travels, comply with me on Instagram at @adventurouskate.
What I Watched This Month
What We Do within the Shadows is again — and there’s a second within the first episode that made me chortle nearly has exhausting as “creepy paper.”
Best comedy on TV. If you haven’t watched it but, it’s good to!
Beyond that, I haven’t actually been watching something. But excited for the return of many reveals this month.
What I Read This Month
The Air You Breathe by Frances de Pontes Peebles (2018) — This historic sweeping epic tells the story of a sophisticated friendship between two younger ladies in Brazil. Dores is an orphaned kitchen maid; Graça is the daughter of the plantation proprietor. But their friendship varieties and deepens over music. As their story strikes to Rio after which Hollywood, each work to turn out to be musicians, however just one can turn out to be a star.
THIS BOOK. I completely adored it. If you’re a fan of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels, you’ll love this e book — it will get the difficult, aggressive, affectionate, tumultuous friendship so proper. And the settings are completely magical — my favourite half was once they had been making ends meet within the colourful bohemian neighborhood of Lapa in Rio.
Also — in the event you’re searching for wonderful historic fiction the place there are many queer folks, who’ve all the time existed in each time interval however are so typically missed by straight authors — you’ll love this one.
I Was Better Last Night by Harvey Fierstein (2022) — Few folks have made as attention-grabbing an affect on New York’s theater scene as Harvey Fierstein. (And few folks have as distinctive of a voice, which is why of COURSE I needed to hearken to this as an audiobook.) This e book is a narrative of the evolution of theater, homosexual rights, and New York tradition over greater than half a century.
What an excellent e book that is! Thanks to so lots of my readers for recommending it! I’m an enormous fan of labor memoirs, speaking about all of the behind-the-scenes facets of how issues work, however I’ve by no means actually learn a theater memoir earlier than. My favourite elements had been studying how Harvey would translate a widely known piece of leisure right into a play or musical that an viewers would truly love.
And in fact he has so many tales of interactions with different celebrities. He has an anecdote about James Taylor that made me SCREAM whereas on an airplane.
Note that this e book is lengthy — however excellent. You would possibly have to take some breaks alongside the best way, as a result of it’s very dense stuff.
Coming Up in September 2022
It’s a busy month of journey forward. I’m typing this from a rambling historic house in Watford, England, the place we celebrated Charlie’s greatest pal’s milestone birthday this weekend. Charlie and I additionally dropped in on Brighton, a seaside city the place I had by no means been (and actually beloved!).
Soon Cailin arrives to go to in Prague, after which the three of us going to Traverse 22, a journey content material creator convention in Brno, Czech Republic. (So glad it’s only some hours’ prepare journey away!) I’m talking on the convention on find out how to weblog within the age of TikTok.
Shortly after the convention, Charlie and I fly to Boston to see my household. We’re attending a giant household occasion on Cape Cod, which we’re actually trying ahead to.
After that, we head to Martha’s Vineyard for a number of days (FINALLY, my first time ever!). We end the month by heading to Maine for the subsequent a part of our New England journey.
What are you getting as much as in September? Share away!
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